Making a Name
by Jack Wong
Summary: Hypnotized attackers rampage through Gotham - but who is responsible?


"I take it master Bruce won't be dining with us," Alfred says.

"What makes you think that?" Dick Grayson responds; both look towards the empty spot at the head of the table. Alfred smiles.

"He seems to be taking this Rhino business fairly seriously."

"He should," Dick says. "If the guy makes it to trial it's the end of the Ventriloquist."

"Frederick Rhino," Alfred says. "Quite a name.

"He's huge," Dick says, mouth full of food. "Not that bright, though. Wonder why he turned."

"People get old; they want immunity," Alfred says.

"You going to take his example?"

Alfred smiles. "I think no plea will get me out of all this."

Dick nods. "Probably not." He reaches for his water and the phone rings – and it's not the normal ring.

Alfred grabs it immediately, and Dick tries to listen in. "Yes, I'll tell him." He hangs up.

"Tell me what?"

"Suit up," Alfred says, "you're wanted in the field."

"Right," Dick says, and jumps out of his chair.

"Shall I save this for later?" Alfred asks, pointing at the food.

"No thanks. You weren't at your best tonight." Dick leaves the room.

Insulted, Alfred takes the plate to a nearby trash can and scrapes it clean.

"Just kidding!" comes a call from the living room. "Put it in the fridge!"

Alfred stands there with the plate and shakes his head.

'

Robin arrives on the scene as people begin to come out of the courthouse. "Where have you been?" Batman asks.

"I took the long way," Dick says, to a disapproving stare. "What, I got here as soon as I could, jeez…"

Batman holds out binoculars. "Frederick's coming out soon. I need you to take these and tell me if you see anything out of the ordinary." Bruce pauses. "Anything."

"I gotcha," Robin says, and the two of them sit on the building next to the commotion, scanning the area with scope and open eye. "I hate January," Dick says. "It's cold."

"See any snipers?" Bruce asks.

"If I did I'd tell you," Robin says."

"Keep looking."

Dick smiles. "Wasn't planning on stopping."

Batman looks around warily, not sharing his partner's ability to be amused. He is certain there is going to be an attempt on Rhino's life; really, it would be a surprise if there wasn't.

The door opens, and out comes Frederick – large as ever, with the same bulging fists that have knocked Bruce and Dick around a few times. "Keep a look out," Batman says.

"Doing it," Robin responds. And then, Bruce notices something.

There's a small group of kids wandering up the sidewalk, moving towards the informant. The odds of something happening are high. The odds of one of them being caught in the crossfire…

"I'm going down," Batman says.

"What?" Robin asks, and takes his eyes away from the binoculars.

"Stay vigilant."

"What are you doing?" Dick says, then he sees the kids. They're on a crash course with Rhino – Bruce could have just yelled at them…

Wait…

"Batman! No!"

But as the Bat shoots a grappling hook at the courthouse roof, and starts to swing down, Robin can only watch with horror as one of the heavier kids pulls his shirt back and reveals the bomb…

Bruce sees it at the last second and tries to change course, but he's too late.

It blows.

The courthouse trembles and barely holds, and the force of the gigantic explosion knocks Robin from the roof's edge. Once he gets up he's looking all over for Batman, but he can't see him – oh no, Robin thinks, – and then he does; the Bat is flying high in the sky. The explosion must have blown him straight up. And there's only one person that can save the almost assuredly unconscious Bruce Wayne now…

"Oh man…"

Dick runs across rooftops, tracking Batman's trajectory, until he triangulates the spot he's likely to hit – the middle of Jackson Street. Breaking the fall would do no good – Robin needs to swing him down. Robin aims a grappling hook and stares up into the sky – he has to do this just right, or…

He fires the hook, and once it connects jumps off the building. Just do it like dad it, on the trapeze…

The seconds go by like hours, until Bruce's quickly falling body is about to hit Dick's. Robin's not exactly where he wanted to be, but it will do – he grabs the body as it falls on him, and swings down and up over the street, the hook and Batman and himself barely hanging on – he lights on another building, with Bruce safe and relatively sound. Whew.

Claps sound from street traffic down below, just like old times, but Robin doesn't get up and wave. "Come on Bruce," he says quietly to his best friend. "Come on." He takes smelling salts out of his belt, and puts them under Bruce's nose – he wakes up. "Thank god," Robin says.

"The…cave," Batman says. No kidding, thinks Dick. But he looks back to the crime scene, a wide open wound on the city of Gotham, and can do nothing but think all the way home.

'

"Jesus Christ," Jim Gordon says and walks across the roof.

"What?" Batman says.

"I've never seen you in a cast before."

Batman looks down at his arm, covered in bandages. "Robin broke some things saving my life."

"Yes, I heard about that," Gordon says. "He really is a boy wonder."

"I'm here because I assume this is about the Rhino fiasco," Batman says.

Gordon nods. "That's just what it was," he says. "A fiasco. We don't even know how the bomb was tripped."

"Robin and I saw something."

Gordon is all ears. "…what?"

"If you watch the footage, there's a group of kids that wander up near Rhino." Batman pauses. "One of them was a suicide bomber."

"For one thing," Gordon says, "footage is non-existant. Glass broke a block away." He stares. "But let me get this right. You two saw a kid…trigger a bomb on himself?"

Batman nods, and Gordon is lost for words.

"How old was he?" the commissioner asks.

"Must have been about 16."

"How would a kid that age be convinced to…" Gordon stops. "I mean they do it in the Islamic world, but those are religious fanatics..."

"Maybe he was too," Batman says. "We'll check into that. In any case it certainly wasn't his call to assassinate Rhino – someone else made the playbook."

"What's in it for the kid, though," Gordon wonders, stuck on the thought.

"That's a good question, Jim." Batman pauses. "We can't rule out mind control."

Gordon laughs. "You mean Tetch?" He spits the last word out, and Batman nods. "The Mad Hatter's a small-timer – doesn't have the balls."

Batman looks away. "You never know." He starts to walk towards the roof's edge. "Good night, Jim."

"So how long will you be out for."

"Robin will respond to the signal," Batman says. "Just turn it on."

'

Gustavo's making dinner for himself in a lonely apartment. "Where's your wife?" a voice behind him asks, and he jumps. He turns, sees Robin in the corner, and laughs.

"The kid, huh? Where's my usual assailant?"

Robin smiles. "I'm filling in."

"Sorry, but interrogation by proxy isn't gonna CUT IT!" He flings the frying shrimp at Robin, but misses by a mile – and finds the boy wonder right next to his face. "Heh," Gustavo says, "just testing your-"

"Who'd the Ventriloquist hire to kill Rhino?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Gustavo says, and laughs. "We loved Rhino."

Robin punches and grabs him, and before he knows it he's in a hold – with his head hovering dangerously close to the burner that he left on. Gustavo laughs again. "You wouldn't."

Robin pulls his chin up, and pushes it close enough that Gustavo's goatee starts to singe off…

"Okay, I was wrong!" Robin pulls him back.

"I know you know," Robin says. "And this is going to get bad if you don't."

"It's some guy named Fagen, alright?"

Robin pauses. "Fagen?"

"What, you know the guy? I'd never heard of him," Gustavo says.

"It's from a book," Robin says.

"Oh, so you guys read, huh? I thought you just worked out and beat up-"

He takes one to the gut, and Robin brings his face closer to the burner.

"What, I told you what you wanted to know…" Closer. "Holy shit, man-" Closer. It's just starting to burn, and Gustavo screams.

Robin turns the flame off.

"You like telling stories?"

Gustavo looks up. "What?"

Robin bangs his face on the searing-hot iron that the fire left behind, and Gustavo screams again, grabbing at his skin as black marks burn into it. "Tell that one." Robin starts to walk away. "Snitch."

"You're a mother fucker!" Gustavo yells.

"Run it under cold water," Robin says. "I'll be seeing you."

"Not if I get to my gun first," Gustavo says, tripping as he runs to the bathroom and the shower. "I'll-"

Robin is in his face again. "You'll what."

Gustavo stares, and can't formulate an answer.

"Have a good night," Robin says, and leaves through the open window.

'

"Fagen," Batman says. "How'd you get it out of him?"

"You'll see," Robin says.

"I told you no scarring," Bruce says, angry. "How are we supposed to keep sources if we leave our mark on them?"

"That's the guy that runs the gang of kids in Oliver, right?"

"Something like that." Bruce sits up in bed and drinks his tea. "An old man using boys to do his dirty work." He pauses. "I've never heard of this man. If it's an alias it's a new one.

"And if it's not?"

Bruce takes a sip in silence, and doesn't answer. "I'm going to sic my private eyes on this guy, see what turns up." He pauses. "What do you think?" He asks Robin.

"I don't know," Robin says. "I think it's pretty messed up."

'

"Gordon."

The commissioner looks up. "Bullock," he says. "Thanks for coming." He motions to the chair opposite his desk. "Sit down."

"Listen," Bullock says, "I didn't know…" His face shifts to a smile as Gordon's surprise is apparent. "Uh…"

"Didn't know what?" Jim asks, and stares.

"Just kidding, commish."

Gordon eases his eyes off the detective and shakes his head. "I swear to God, Bullock, if I wasn't holding them back internal affairs would rip you apart."

Bullock nods. "I know."

"I want you on the bombing."

He looks at Gordon sideways. "The Rhino hit? Open and shut, we go after Wesker."

The commissioner shakes his head. "It's not that simple."

"How so?"

Gordon closes the file he's looking through and slides it to Bullock. "Read it yourself."

Bullock thumbs through it as Gordon checks his watch. "Wait a minute," he says. "Our witnesses are the caped fuckups?"

"How many times do I have to tell you I don't tolerate talk like that?"

Harvey Bullock smiles. "Never enough." He closes the file. "Alright I'll take it."

"You didn't have a choice," Gordon says.

"I want Price and Howser."

Gordon shakes his head. "This is under wraps for now. Tread lightly."

Bullock stares. "So I'm the lone ranger."

Jim nods. "If, god forbid, another bombing happens, we might go public. For right now it's just you, me and the capes that know."

"…right," Bullock says. "I'll see what I can do."

There's a knock, and Jim leans out to see who's behind the glass door.

"Come in!"

"It's Robin, sir," an office bitch says, "he's on the roof."

Gordon stands. "Are you coming?" he asks the still seated Bullock.

Harvey shakes his head and stands up. "You can fill me in later."

'

Robin waits by the symbol and makes small talk with a girl smoking there. "Why what stories have you heard?" he asks, and Gordon comes out.

"Gisella," he says, "go inside." She puts out her cigarette, waves, and walks away. "What have we got?"

Robin motions him to come in close. "Bruce needs some bodyguards."

"Why?"

"A private eye was found dead today," Robin says. "Tortured before he was snuffed."

"And?"

"Bruce hired him," Robin says.

Gordon squints. "You have private detectives?"

"Waynetech does. It's all legit."

"What were they looking for?" Jim asks.

"A guy named Fagen."

"Which is who?" Gordon says.

Robin looks west at a noise, then back. "The Ventriloquist's hired gun."

"Fagen, huh? Like Dickens? With the kids?" Robin nods, and Jim shakes his head with disgust. "How'd you find his name?"

"Slapped someone around." Robin looks up to Gordon; he doesn't like to hear those kinds of things. "I mean, it came to us."

"Anyway," Gordon says, "you can have some men. But if I know anyone that doesn't need bodyguards it's Bruce."

"We don't want cops," Robin says. "We want the bomb squad."

'

Bruce Wayne eats lunch on 47th street, knowing he's a wanted man. The officers standing next to him are uneasy. Dick Grayson sits across the street.

"Keep an extra eye out," Alfred says over the radio.

"I'm using them all," Dick says. He pauses. "Is Bruce on the line?"

"No," Alfred says.

Dick sighs. "You couldn't convince him this was a bad idea?"

"It was hard to make him accept a police presence, master Richard."

"Yeah, well it's kind of making him an obvious target." Dick looks down the street and pauses. "…hold on. I've got to go."

Dick stares, to make sure he's seeing things right, then jumps out of his seat. He sprints across the street as the light turns yellow, and hears the waitress in back of him faintly yelling about his bill.

As he nears Bruce the police start to draw their weapons; Bruce calms them. "What's up?" he asks as Dick approaches.

"Is there a school around here?"

"I think there's a high school…" Bruce gets the drift, and turns quickly. Swarms of kids are walking down the sidewalk, headed their way. "Fuck," Bruce says – it must be lunchtime.

Dick looks to the cops. "We've got to go," he says as Bruce stands.

"What?" one of them asks. "Just who are-"

"He's right," Bruce says. "Let's move, now."

The five men walk quickly to the intersection, but the light is red. "Come on," Bruce says, but the light shows no sign of changing. He looks back – the kids are close. "Shoot your gun in the air," he tells one of the cops.

"What?"

"We're all in a lot of danger, now shoot your gun!" The officer sees the serious look on Bruce's face, but still doesn't move. "One of those kids has a bomb."

"Where?"

As the cop looks back to the kids Bruce quickly unclips and takes his gun, and points it in the air. He fires once and everyone looks, and a few screams come out – but these are Gotham kids, and it takes two to get them scared. After that three or four continue walking.

"What do you think, Dick?" Bruce asks.

"The fat one," Dick says, and punches the cop who wants his gun back.

Of course, Bruce thinks, and stares the kid down with the pistol. As he aims all the other kids split, but the one with the bulk keeps walking.

That's not flab, Bruce thinks. If I fuck up this shot…

"What the-" one of the cops says, and Bruce fires.

It's a forty foot shot; they train for harder ones, but still there is a millisecond of suspense as the crack of the bullet exiting the gun sounds out into the city. Dick is half ready to get blown into the plaza across the street, and Bruce is ready to die. But he always is.

The bullet sinks into the kid's head, blood and brains burst out of the other side, and he falls.

"What the fuck did you do?" a cop says, jaw dropped.

"Check the body," Bruce says. "But use the robot first."

"What?"

Bruce turns to the man. "He's a walking bomb."

'

"You're better?"

"Better enough."

"So Bruce Wayne shot a kid," Gordon says on the roof; he's staring at Batman, who is emotionless. "You don't care, do you?"

"Did forensics find anything?"

"Nothing but a whole bunch of dynamite." Gordon pauses. "I'm sure he has a family."

Batman turns. "You want me to say I'm sorry?"

"Would you?" Gordon says to a statue. He sighs. "Fuck you."

"What do you mean, they found nothing?"

Gordon stares. "I mean nothing; no Mad Hatter patches, no toxin in the blood." He pauses. "You looked in his eyes – did he seem like he was acting on his free will?"

"Yes," Batman says. "What about hypnotism."

"What about hypnotism? You know any hypnotists?"

Batman nods. "I know a few."

"Well look into it." Gordon scratches his head. "Shit, we have to go public with this."

"Who's on the case?"

"Bullock," Gordon says, and Batman laughs. "We'll assign more, but he's my top gun, and you know that."

Batman nods. "Thanks Jim. We'll be talking."

"Yeah," Gordon says, and walks towards the door as the Bat flies away.

'

A man with glasses fills up his bag at the counter, tips the clerk, and walks out of the grocery store. He's halfway down the block when he hears someone following him. He turns, and-

"Strange," Batman says.

The man drops the bag, then immediately starts to gather what's not broken.

"What do you want?" the professor says, not making eye contact. "I have a daughter now, I don't play that game anymore."

"I know." Batman stares. "That's why I'm here."

Strange pauses, and looks to his former nemesis. "It's this Fagen business, isn't it." Batman nods. "Walk with me," Strange says, and they move on past the spilt milk.

"So a hitman using young suicide bombers," Strange says. "That's a risky move. Brazen."

"You mean because it's high profile."

The professor nods. "Although the first killing almost made it under the radar, if I recall."

"The second bombing was in retaliation for the first's investigation."

Strange pauses. "What do you want from me?"

"I want to know more about mind control."

The professor laughs. "You assume that because I'm a scientist I know something about mind control."

"So you don't."

"I didn't say that," the professor says, and prepares to give a talk in layman's terms. "Mind control is an interesting field," he says. "First you have the outside influence, such as the gadgets of the Mad Hatter; then there is hypnotism, but I doubt that applies here. Then there is Crane's method."

"And what's that?" Batman asks.

"Make someone think a certain way…chemically."

"There were no toxins or devices found anywhere on the body."

"Right," Strange says. "But you never know. Did you check the bombs?"

"Check the bombs for what?"

Strange smiles. "Any 'gadgets,' of course."

"Thank you," Batman says, making a note. "Goodbye professor."

"Wait, Batman." The caped crusader stops. "If I may offer an opinion."

Batman stares.

"I wonder if using such a brash modus operandi is an effort to make a name for himself," Strange says.

"That's a common motive. For a lunatic."

Strange laughs, but no apology comes. "Yes, that was my motive for trying to sell your identity all those years ago." He pauses. "By the way," he asks, "how did it feel to kill the child?"

Batman's eyes shoot to Strange. "A name, you say."

"Not just a name," the professor says. "A reputation." Strange pauses. "Perhaps one that has been marred before."

"Someone that was the butt of jokes," Batman said.

Hugo Strange nods.

"So you suspect Tetch."

The professor laughs. "You're not very good at keeping secrets," Strange says. "I don't want to give you a 'sound bite.'"

"Tetch or Crane."

Strange smiles, and stops in front of a white Victorian. "This is my house. If you would excuse me…"

He opens the door and leaves the cold, and the Batman becomes the night before he turns around to wave goodbye.

'

The door to the office opens. "Gordon."

"Bullock," the commissioner says. "You could knock."

"Bill Francis had been missing for a few days before the shooting-"

"You mean the kid?"

Harvey nods. "Right. I pulled up all the missing kids on file; you should have them put in the computer. Maybe an APB."

"Okay," Jim says, "but you didn't need to bring them to me."

"I need men."

Jim leans back. "We have three detectives on the case. The two you requested."

"No, I need men. That answer to me."

"And why is that?" Gordon asks.

Bullock stares. "To catch the bad guys," he says.

"What are you going to use them for?"

Harvey shakes his head. "And no questions."

Jim sighs. "In my life, I've found that whenever you're not supposed to ask questions, it has something to do with the legality of the answers."

"Scout's honor, I'll put them to good use."

Gordon grabs some paperwork. "This had better pull something," he says.

Bullock nods. "I don't disappoint."

"That's not what your girlfriend says," Gordon says.

"Oh, nice one," Bullock says, and rolls his eyes as he starts to walk away.

"Couldn't resist. Oh and Bull-"

An explosion rocks the foundation of the police station from the south side, shattering Gordon's windows and throwing both men to the floor.

"Fuck," Bullock says, and the two prepare for the roof to cave in – it doesn't.

"Must not have been detonated on the building, Gordon says, and walks towards the broken glass to survey the scene.

"Wait, commissioner," Bullock says, "I'll go first."

Harvey looks out the window, and then, seeing that there wasn't a threat, Gordon joins him. "That's Price's car," Bullock says, and the two stare at what was a red sedan.

'

In the Batcave Bruce Wayne pulls up the Mad Hatter's file on the computer. "He's out," Dick says, looking over his shoulder.

"But where," Batman says.

"Murdered his parole officer, it looks like."

Bruce pauses. "He's probably still in Gotham."

"Why do you think?" Dick asks.

"Because he's Fagen."

Dick stares at Bruce. "You're sure of that?"

"Almost positive."

"But they didn't find-"

Batman shakes his head. "The motive's there."

"Everyone has a motive," Robin says. "It could be the Joker."

"Especially for him," Bruce says, thinking.

"Why?"

Batman types something in. "He's a joke."

"So he's playing tough guy." Dick pauses. "You're sure it's him?"

Bruce nods. "Now it's a question of finding him." Batman hits the enter key and a wide map of Gotham spreads out on the screen. "Should be easy enough."

'

Bullock pokes his head out of the doorway. "What's up?" he asks Gordon. "Waiting for Bathole?"

Gordon stares. "You want to join me?"

"Got a lead," the detective says, and walks out towards the signal.

"Good. Well what is it?"

"So I asked myself," Bullock says. "Where does he get the kids?"

"Right," Gordon says. "What's this lead?"

Harvey breathes in. "Those guys you gave me. I set them up outside high schools."

"Okay," Gordon says.

"Nothing. Until one day, a kid tries to buy drugs from Capo. You know Capo?"

"No, and I don't have time for this. Do you have something for me or not?"

"A lot of the missing kids," Bullock says, "they used."

Gordon straightens up. "Used what?"

"I dunno, whatever kids use these days; weed, heroin, whatever." Bullock pauses, and Gordon knows something has happened.

"What did you do, Bullock?"

"…I may have raided the evidence vault," he says, looking sideways. "And some of that evidence may have ended up with some underage parties."

Gordon shoots towards him. "You had MY COPS selling drugs to KIDS?!"

"Now-"

"ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE?!"

"Okay, but-"

"Give me your badge, right now." Gordon says. "RIGHT NOW!" He takes a second to breathe, and Bullock slowly takes it off his shirt. "And your gun."

"Okay," Harvey says, handing them over. "But we got him."

Gordon's eyes change. "What did you say?"

"We got Fagen."

After several seconds, Jim's arms go to his sides.

"Desperate times, desperate measures," Bullock says.

"You're not off the hook," Gordon says. He stares at the objects in his hands. "He's in custody?"

Bullock shakes his head. "He's in an apartment building in Dutch Heights. My men and I have been watching him. He lives alone."

James Gordon grows one more gray hair. "Take them back," he says, "and get off the roof."

Crime-fighting gear in hand, Bullock walks back towards the door. He turns back to Gordon. "Give my regards to Fuckface," he says over his shoulder. He turns back – "Aaah!" he yells, and almost bumps into Batman. "You…"

Batman says nothing, and Harvey stalls in fright – Batman reaches out and pushes him backwards, lightly, and he steps into Robin's foot and trips, gun and badge falling out of his possession. Robin stands up and laughs.

"That was a loaded gun!" Bullock says.

"Detective!" Gordon says as Batman walks towards him. "Go inside!"

Bullock grumbles, and makes his way to the door.

"You heard all that?" Gordon asks the Bat.

"The meat of it." Batman walks towards Gordon.

"Guess we'll know who he is tomorrow," Jim says.

"When's the raid," the dark knight asks.

"ASAP."

Batman nods. "Good."

'

"I don't like working in this neighborhood."

Bullock turns. "Whadja say Gordon?"

Commissioner James Gordon turns to face the detective. "I said I don't like working in this neighborhood."

Harvey Bullock nods. "It's a rough one."

"No, it's the hills," Jim says. "I don't like the hills."

Bullock continues to eat his slice of pizza, and the two stand outside an apartment building waiting for the younger kids to bring out an armed and especially dangerous criminal.

It's daytime; it's cloudy but it 's definitely the middle of the day. Which is why Gordon is surprised by what he sees sitting on the roof of the building adjacent.

"Batman?"

Bullock turns again. "What?"

"Nothing, talking to myself," Gordon says; he looks again and if it was him, he's gone.

"No kiddin'," Bullock says.

There's a pause, a void in conversation.

"I chased someone down an alley here once," Gordon says. "Didn't see the stairs coming – broke two ribs and tore some muscle tissue."

Bullock grunts. "That's too bad."

"Must have fell for twenty seconds."

The two continue to stare.

"What's taking them so long?" Bullock asks.

"Got me-"

Gordon cuts his sentence short as a volley of shots ring out; they stop for a second, then continue, and move down a floor. The two stare – things are not going as planned.

"Fuck," Gordon says, and runs to the side of the building; Bullock drops the pizza and follows, pulling out his gun.

"What's the plan?" Bullock asks; they can hear the firefight as it twists down the stairwell – he must be five stories up.

"Feel like being the hero, Harvey?" Bullock doesn't respond, and stares at the sounds coming down the building's sides. A window blows out, a little tickle of glass shattering and falling to the alley below. Gordon sighs. "Me neither."

"Look," Bullock says, pointing; "Cavalry's here."

'

Fagen is running. He's used to it; he's always running from something. This time it just happens to be a SWAT team firing heavy weapons; he makes it down to the second floor landing, and-

'

"Hold your fire!" Gordon yells into his transmitter-

'

The window behind him shatters, and into his life comes a large black shape he had been hoping to avoid. "You are Fagen," it says without a pause.

Jervis Tetch laughs, and pulls his gun up to fire – suddenly his hand is pierced by a large, sharp object, and he cries out in pain.

"You'll pay for what you did to those boys." The object – oh god, is that a grappling hook? – wrenches him towards the shape, which is starting more and more to look like a man. A large, very angry man. Jervis 'The Mad Hatter' Tetch tries to brace himself, but as he is pulled closer and closer to a large fist swinging in his direction

'

"He's out cold," Batman says to Gordon.

"That's good, I guess," Jim says. A few members of the SWAT team trickle down the steps, and watch the caped crusader drop Tetch on the concrete of the ground floor, at the feet of the commissioner. "You're out during the day?" Gordon asks.

"This was a special case," Batman says, and looks to Gordon. "Right?"

Jim nods. "Got to be the worst one this year." He looks up to Batman with what might be called a smile. "But it's only starting."

The Bat looks out of the open door at the bottom of the staircase. "I've got to rest. Just wanted to make sure the raid went alright." He steps out of the door and is gone.

"He could've come in earlier," DeGidello says, his face sagging under the helmet he removes. "We've got five wounded in there."

"WHAT?" Gordon yells. "I thought he was taking a shower?"

"He was in the bathroom," DeGidello says, "but six boys were sitting watching TV. Four of them pulled guns."

"Who…ah fuck…" Gordon puts his hand to his head. "God damn it. The intel was bad." He turns to Bullock. "The intel was bad-"

"Hey, at least I got his address-"

"FIVE OF MY OFFICERS ARE DOWN!" Gordon yells at his detective.

"Oh you're gonna put this on ME?" Bullock yells back. "I broke the case!"

Gordon pauses, and adjusts his glasses. "I'm sorry Harvey." He turns to DeGidello. "How many are critical?"

"No one's going to die," the SWAT leader says.

"Thank god," Jim says.

"The rest of my men are treating them." Paul pauses. "Them and the boys."

Jim blinks. "Oh god." He doesn't want to ask.

"Two of them are dead," DeGidello says.

Gordon takes his glasses off, and puts his head in his palm. Some January.

'

That night the light is on and the roof has three police on it when the Bat swings into view; he lets himself down lightly, Robin following close behind. They begin to walk towards the cops. "What's up?" Batman says.

"Celebration," Bullock says. "You want some champagne?"

Batman stares. "Why are there glasses for us."

"It was Harvey's idea," Gordon says. "But yes, I wanted to celebrate."

"I'll take some," Robin says, and Gordon stares at Bats. He nods, and the boy wonder gets one poured halfway.

Batman nods towards the fourth man. "Who's this?"

"Juan Capo," Gordon says, "our newest detective."

Bullock laughs. "But I was the brains behind the shit."

"Somehow I doubt that," Batman says.

Harvey explodes. "Listen you fuck! I-" The detective turns to a sudden hard hand on his shoulder – it's Jim's.

"Look Bullock, if this were any other city…" He trails off, and removes the hand. "You put four men in the hospital. You killed two kids." Gordon shakes his head. "And who knows how many you got high."

"Hey, but-"

"I'm getting to that." Jim pauses. "But you did your job. I'm not firing you."

"Firing me?" Bullock laughs. "Where's my medal of honor?"

Gordon stares. "Leave."

Disgruntled and grumbling, Harvey walks past Batman and looks in his eyes. "What are you looking at?"

"Thank you," Batman says, and Harvey pauses.

"Fuck you," he says, and walks away.

As Batman turns to Capo the freshman looks to him with admiration. "I just want to say thank you, for what you did in Georgetown."

"That where you grew up?" Batman asks.

Capo nods. "I grew up trying to make a difference, like you do."

Batman stares. "You don't want to emulate me."

"I don't," Capo says, "but thanks." He walks off after Bullock, swilling his drink.

"He seems bright enough," Batman says.

Gordon nods. "He broke the case." He pauses. "Under Bullock's supervision, of course."

"So it was the Mad Hatter all along," Batman says.

"Looks like he modified his technique," Gordon says. "We still haven't figured it out, but that's GPD work for you."

"He got his name," Robin said. "People will be talking about this one for a while."

Jim sighs, and looks to the Bat. "No champagne?"

Batman picks up the glass. Jim stares.

"Really?" Robin asks.

Batman nods. "It's been a rough few weeks."

Gordon pours, and raises his glass for a toast. "To the new year," he says half-heartedly.

"Yeah," Batman says, and he and Robin bring the glasses in, slowly.

Clink.

"Maybe the next one will be better," Batman says.

"Here's to the hope," Jim says, and it begins to snow.


End file.
